Air France has initiated an internal investigation following an airspace incident involving one of its aircraft on 1 October 2024.
Air France flight AF662 traversed Iraqi airspace during a time when Iran launched a barrage of missiles towards Israel. The flight, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, was enroute from Paris to Dubai when the incident took place.
Operation via Designated Air Corridor
The flight was operating through southern Iraqi airspace via a designated air corridor which is used by all airlines on overflights. The air corridor was open to traffic at the time of the event.
On the day of the Air France incident, Iran had launched its second attack on Israel. Approximately 200 missiles were launched during the attack.
The airline has confirmed that the plane was flying over the region while the missile attacks were underway. While Iraqi airspace wasn’t officially closed at the time, Air France has since suspended overflights in the area.
“Without waiting for instructions from Iraqi authorities, Air France decided to suspend all flights over Iraqi airspace starting at 1700 GMT,” it stated.
Flight Details
Flight data shows that flight AF662 had departed from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 1403 local time on 1 October.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER registered F-GSQU, then operated the standard flight plan track to Dubai International Airport (DXB). The flight was cruising at flight level FL350 (35,000 feet). It transited the Iraqi air corridor around 1645 UTC when the attack began. Iraqi airspace was not closed by authorities until 1756 UTC.
The incident has raised questions about the safety protocols and decision-making processes in place during such volatile situations. Air France has emphasized that the investigation aims to determine how the plane was able to fly over Iraq while the missile strike was taking place.
As the investigation progresses, further details and insights into the incident are expected to emerge. Air France has reiterated its commitment to passenger safety and has assured that all necessary measures will be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Air France and subsidiary airline Transavia have both extended flight suspensions due to regional security concerns. The suspensions now extend to October 15 for Tel Aviv, and October 26 for Beirut flight operations.
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